‘Gringo’ takes an overqualified cast and places them in a disjointed and overall messy plotline to create a drearily average film. During the first 5 minutes, it was that confusing that my housemate and I actually questioned if we had sat on the remote and accidentally flicked to a different film. ‘Gringo’ surrounds the life of businessman Harold (David Oyelowo) and his unexpected dip into a life of crime.
Harold is undoubtedly the saving grace of this film, he plays the typical underdog who is devoted entirely to his wife and job. When his devotion proves to be his downfall, Harold attempts to turn his situation around. These efforts lead him into a whirlwind of drug dealers and violence. To categorise the film as a ‘crime comedy’ seems a bit too nice, but Harold definitely provided some cracking one-liners that had me giggling.
Another character that got bonus points from me was Elaine (Charlize Theron). Although she is not a likeable character in any way, shape or form, she did provide a certain entertainment factor. Charlize Theron does a fantastic job of playing a character that evoked a whole range of emotions for me. Whilst I spend 99% of the film hating her, certain parts did have me internally shouting ‘you go girl.’
On the other end of the spectrum, the subplot, if you can actually call it that, was very disappointing. It follows the unlikely couple Sunny (Amanda Seyfried) and Marty (Harry Treadaway) and their trip to Mexico. Unbeknown to Sunny, the trip has ulterior motives which often leaves them in the midst of danger. Whilst the couple provided a feel-good ending, essentially it felt as though they were there to fill the time and the film definitely could have managed without them.
The peak of the film overall, I felt, was actually quite anticlimactic. Although there was a lot of guns fired and bloodshed, it was almost as if the writers just wanted to wrap the film up as quickly as possible. Admittedly, the very end of the film did leave me with a smile on my face (although this could have just been because the film was over). Overall, I’d say if you’ve got a spare 2 hours or so then go for it. But, if you’re looking for something spectacular, give ‘Gringo’ a miss.
★★★☆☆
Georgia Hughes
Gringo at CeX
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